Arctic Sound calls it “the combination of this summer.”  Basically, two ultra portable laptop speakers coupled with a solar power source make any summer trip in the sun complete with your favorite tunes.  I absolutely love my MacBook Pro, but the speakers are far from useful in my eyes.  This leaves me with a constant search for audio solutions.  I have tried many combinations, some with good sound but no portability and others being portable with just ok sound.  The S111 speakers are tiny making them easy to carry and the addition of the C1 Mobile makes them usable without a live USB port to power them.  Lets take a look at the speakers… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Hard to believe that today is the last day of QuakeCon … but don’t despair – these is still the chance for one last great sale! As I mentioned, QuakeCon is this weekend, which has been a major event for id Software for ages. Since Bethesda bought id a few years ago, they have joined in the fun – and gamers are the winners as they are hosting a major sale on Steam. Here are the basics of the Steam Sale: – All weekend long the whole ‘QuakeCon Pack’ is on sale for $69.99. This is a collection of 27 games Doom I, II and III; Quake I, II, and III; Fallout… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

By now it is pretty clear that I am quite fond of the Jason Parker Quartet, their music is wonderful, their business model exemplary, and Jason’s insights on his website and approach to music really shine a path for all other struggling artists to follow in this modern era. Way back in high school my rock and fusion groups had some paying gigs at clubs and colleges and events, and each sort of performance had different requirements and expectations on our part and the part of the audience. Fast forward several years to my own wedding, and my wife and I were fortunate enough to get an alternative group based in Boston but with roots… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Allison Green of the website Ask the Manager provides some great info for job hunters and those who need general help about all sorts of things that happen in the usual office environment. It remains in my ‘jobs’ link folder in FireFox and I try to stop by weekly … though as I become more and more settled in my present job I am less inclined to surf job sites. It has been nearly 2.5 years since I took my present job, which came about 6 months after being laid off and then working for just over 3 months in a contract position while searching around the country for a new opportunity. Things… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A few weeks ago we posted the news that a new series of carbon fiber shells were coming to market for the iPad and iPhone. The shells, called HoverCoat, come from monCarbone and are available for pre-order now. The iPad shells have an MSRP of $89.99. Is a shell that only protects the back and sides — but does nothing to protect the screen — worth close to $100??? Read on to find out. From The Company: Carbon fiber is the ideal material to appeal to high‐end users in the electronic accessories market, according to monCarbone. The Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I kicked off the Bethesda / id Steam Sale yesterday, and the fun just keeps rolling today! As I mentioned, QuakeCon is this weekend, which has been a major event for id Software for ages. Since Bethesda bought id a few years ago they have joined in the fun – and gamers are the winners as they are hosting a major sale on Steam. Here are the basics of the Steam Sale: – All weekend long the whole ‘QuakeCon Pack’ is on sale for $69.99. This is a collection of 27 games Doom I, II and III; Quake I, II, and III; Fallout 3; Call of Cthulhu; Return to Castle Wolfenstein… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I still remember the leaked alpha tech video demo of Doom 3 from years ago showing unbelievable visual details on every object and surface. Doom 3, and the Tech 5 engine it used, produce stunning visuals that have scaled nicely with hardware over the years – as an example look at my review of last years great looking Wolfenstein reboot! Carmack has been a big supporter of mobile gaming, from Orcs & Elves on traditional cell phones to the iPhone versions of their classic Doom and Wolfenstein games, as well as updated RPG and ‘on rails’ editions! So seeing him bring id’s upcoming Rage to the iPhone is a wonderful but not entirely surprising… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Last week Microsoft made a huge deal about the voice control that will be part of WindowsPhone 7. I watched the demo video and wasn’t impressed at all. As I posted last weekend, I am still perplexed as to why Microsoft wouldn’t just turn to Nuance and license their time-proven and excellent technology in order to ensure a level of voice control, and voice-to-text transcription that will work perfectly from the start. Now Google has jumped into the ring as well. Their new Voice Action feature is part of a new version of the Voice Search application for Android phones. But the new system doesn’t just do voice search… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here is the latest in a string of companies YOU may want to business with, but I will never again. I placed an order for an interesting-looking iPad case that will have the ability to snap on a backup battery for those days that seem to go on forever and run down the iPad’s charge. Note the date. The next week I decided to buy a different case so I tried to cancel the order… Daniel Cohen to ivySkin Sales date Sun, May 16, 2010 at 10:29 PM subject Re: Ivyskin: New Order # Please cancel Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Silicone Cases are very popular.  Not only because they are generally in-expensive but because they also come in a ton of colors.  In addition they make a great “throw-away” case.  Everyone needs a “throw-away” case.  What’s a “throw-away” case you ask?  It’s a case that you always have on hand in case of emergency.  One that’s usually cheap and therefore one that you really don’t care all that much about.  Leave it in your gear bag or in your glove box.  If you find your self in need of a case for your iPhone 4 it’ll be there waiting. Priced at $14.99 the Switch Easy Colors is the ideal “throw-away” case.  Grab… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

There’s been quite the firestorm of debate over the future of the printed word recently. With the new Kindles selling out and Apple selling iPads like crazy, everyone is tripping over each other predicting the end of the road for paper. But is it really time to say goodbye, or are predictions of paper book’s death greatly exaggerated? In my opinion, there’s a few areas that need to hit a “tipping point” before ebooks truly overtake paper books in all areas. Price, audience, software, and content all need to come together. And it’s important to remember that ebooks fall into a category of their own that is slightly different from other digital media. Unlike the music and… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Over the last few months I have done short reviews on more than 30 CD’s in two articles here and here. As I mentioned before, the response has been amazing! I continue to get emails and more unsolicited (but always welcome) invites to listen to music. But I also have been called out as an elitist. Because I love jazz and modern classical music and tend to prefer rather esoteric styles in those genres, and because I have always had a fondness for highly skilled artists who polish their technical abilities to better serve their craft, I am often seen as looking down on popular forms. When I ask my family if I’m… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Released back in 1997, Dungeon Keeper was – and still is – a rare game in that you play the evil demon who needs to ward off all of those darn hero types looking to liberate your dungeon! The game was a critical success, as was the sequel, but sales lagged – which was also true of Overlord and Evil Genius, games that similarly put you in the role of the bad guy – and the planned third game never materialized. Now Kalypso Media announces Dungeons, the spiritual successor to the Dungeon Keeper games. Here is the press release: Think you can hack it as an evil Dungeon Lord? Ridgewood, NJ, August 12 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Most fans of first-person shooter video games know that today marks the start of the QuakeCon 2010 event in Dallas Texas, which runs through the 15th. According to the press release: QuakeCon, which is free to the public, offers an unparalleled opportunity to see the greatest players in the world compete in highly-competitive matches. Participants will be vying for their share of over $50,000 in prize money. Top professionals will compete in the Intel®-sponsored QUAKE LIVE Masters Championship and the QUAKE LIVE Capture the Flag Championship while up-and-coming players will have the opportunity to prove their gaming prowess in the QUAKE LIVE Open Tournament. Quake Live TV will provide complete coverage of the official QUAKE LIVE Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The original Puzzle Quest was a revelation, what I called “Casual Meets Hardcore and Loves It!” back in 2007. The game featured a solid RPG story and progression mechanic with an enhanced ‘match 3′ puzzle mechanic for the combat system. It was smart, fun and tremendously addictive! The follow-up, which I reviewed here, was “a decent game, it just pales in comparison to the original.” Now we get the ‘true’ sequel – does it live up to expectations? Read on and find out! The Hype: Puzzle Quest 2 marks the return of the world’s leading puzzle adventure series and its trademark blend of match 3 gem-based gameplay and fantasy role playing. Rewarding and… Continue reading on Gear Diary …